The 2009 MF 25
The fittest guys in the world for 2009
MF Editors Recommend
Five years ago, Men's Fitness premiered our first MF 25 list. To celebrate the milestone, we opted for a trip around the world. For the first time, the search for the 25 Fittest Guys became borderless, expanding beyond 50 states to all corners of the planet.
Our global superpowers fly through the air, run at superhuman speed, and dodge bullets on the big screen. They stand up to enemy fire in the ring, Octagon, and desert. They even transform themselves from real-life bad guys to heroes. No matter their job titles, these 25 guys (along with some additional picks from the editors of MF's international editions) prove that a hardcore commitment to fitness knows no boundaries.
THE FITTEST GUY |
RAFAEL NADAL Why Nadal? Because of those guns, for goodness' sake. Or gun, really. The left one. It's a boulder. A cannon. A WMD. Because of his stamina, his physique. Because of the way he plays, with violence. The way Mike Singletary or Ray Nitschke or Lawrence Taylor would play if they played tennis. Remember the Office Linebacker? He's the Office Tennis Champion. Six Grand Slams. Thirty-three tournament wins. Twenty-three-million dollars in prize winnings. Because he rebuilt his game to become No. 1. No longer just a "clay" guy, he's now a man for all surfaces. A lot of "clay" guys are content to be "clay" guys. Not him. Because of his relentless pursuit of the greatest artist the sport has ever seen. He's the only man on the planet with the will and the way to end the Roger Federer See Also: MF's Exclusive Interview |
THE BLOCKBUSTER |
HUGH JACKMAN One of the most ripped (and badass) actors out there, Jackman performs nearly all of his stunts, including those in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the fourth installment of the series. To prepare, the 6'3" Jackman went to town on the bench and leg press machines. Then, when Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain called for a character with more flexibility, he began daily tai chi and ultimately perfected various yoga poses. |
THE ACTION FIGURE |
ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE To play "Heavy Duty" in the new G.I. Joe film, the British actor had to undergo his own version of basic training. "In four weeks I lost 35 pounds," says Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who worked out with L.A.-based Epoch Training, the same crew responsible for shaping the cast of 300. "I'm thinking, 'Why am I subjecting myself to this punishment? I'm only acting, I'm not a real superhero!'" Through a strict diet and fitness program that emphasized muscle confusion and intense cardio, the former star of Oz and Lost began to feel like a real warrior. "Muscles started popping out where I didn't even know I had them," he says, noting that his character's gun weighed 120 pounds alone. "You see your body changing form like the Hulk and don't even recognize it." |
THE SLUGGER |
JOSH HAMILTON A recovering drug addict, Hamilton is finally getting more attention for his actions on the field. The AL leader in RBIs last season with the Texas Rangers, the sweet-swinging outfielder added to his massive 6'4" frame this winter, arriving at spring training weighing 240 pounds thanks to a dedicated off-season program in Arizona. "You see his power, his arm, everything," said teammate David Murphy at the time. "Those are the things that make fans jump out of their seats and say, 'Wow!'" |
THE LIGHTNING |
USAIN BOLT One year after his gold Pumas set fire to the track at Beijing National Stadium in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the slim (6'5", 190 pounds) speedster is still smoking. Not like fellow gold medalist Michael Phelps. Bolt is only determined to light it up on the track this summer. "The main thing is the championships," Bolt says. "The time doesn't matter if I win." Prep for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin this August included regular sprint workouts and three-day-a-week lifting sessions. "As a sprinter, you don't want bulk, but you try to build your muscles," he says. "When you hit a stage, you kind of tone it up." |
